Garden Harvest

What I gathered from the garden....

 Not particularly a good garden harvest this year but that is down to little effort, little gain.  This year I haven't paid much attention to the garden - flowers or vegetables.  Some of this is down to being pregnant throughout the growing season (my tum was growing too!).  I didn't know how big I was going to grow and wanted to take it easy as this was my first pregnancy and not being very young anymore, (put it this way, I'm born in Year of the Tiger and I'm no longer in my twenties - let you work that one out!) didn't want to over exhort myself and regret it later.  Some of it is also down to enjoying card-making.  Last summer I started going to card-making workshops and I really enjoy the classes.  Not only do we make beautiful cards, it's a lovely chance to relax and chat with some very lovely ladies.

 Anyway, despite my lack of efforts we have had some courgettes this year.  A Lebanese variety, hence the paler green colour than what is sold in the supermarkets and it (should have) has a slightly bulbous base.  Okay, this one is a little backward!  I blame it on being probably the last one of the season.  The plant is still slowly growing but less vigorously now.  I can see fruit-bearing flower buds at the tip but with the absence of male flowers these fruits not only will not grow larger, they will wither and rot.  Maybe I should grow a variety that doesn't need pollinating.  That will ease the suspense of will it grow or will it rot? 
I only had the one courgette plant this year.  Will definitely plant more next year as it is tormenting waiting for that one courgette to grow larger before you pick it!  In our first year here I had 4 courgette plants and had courgettes coming out of my ears!  Well....you know how the saying goes!  I had plenty to share amongst family and friends and this year it was take it in turns to give courgettes out as there were never enough to go round in one hit!

 I grew onions again Stuttgarter - wanted an easy crop that didn't need any looking after from me.  Might be the reason why the onions are as small as gobstoppers!  I actually pulled these out of the ground during my confinement month when I was supposed to be resting!  They have spent the past 4 weeks drying in the shed.  I tidied them up by removing the loose papery skins and excess stalks.  Weeny looking onions but they sure are strong!  My eyes don't water when peeling chopping onions because I find wearing contact lenses protect my eyes from the vapours.  These little powerful little marbles are the exception!  Won't be eating these raw in a salad!

I usually grow potatoes too.  Another easy to grow crop and the best bit is harvest time.  Scrabbling around on your hands and knees in the dirt looking for buried treasure - or so it seems to me!  I love seeing the pale glint of skin in the dark earth and it feels as if I've struck gold!  I grew these in potato bags.  Black polythene sacks with a few drainage holes in the bottom.  The varieties I grew were Red Rooster potatoes and Charlotte.  Roosters are available in the supermarkets and I like them for roasting as they are slightly floury and roast up well.  They don't disintegrate on boiling either.  Charlottes are a lovely, creamy waxy salad potato.  Great in cooking when you don't want them to disappear to mush.